trying to pick between relocating to Denver or Fort Collins (Arvada: rent, townhome)

[0ctobersongs]

My husband, myself, and our two small dogs are relocating to the area in June. We are in our early 30s. We are going to be visiting in March to take a look around. I have been to Denver before and really liked it.

I guess this is a two-part question...1-should we rent or buy? and 2-fort collins or denver?

We like outdoors, like going out to dinner, breweries, but it is extremely important to us to live in a quiet area. If I could find a retirement community, I'd love it. We don't have kids, and aren't planning on kids. Of course, most areas will likely have children, which is totally fine, I love kids... but I'd like enough space between us and them to where we don't have to hear them playing outside or loud music from our neighbors. That is our current situation here in Florida and has been for a while. We live way too close to our neighbors. I'm tempted to buy a piece of land and put a house on it, but the commute would be killer.

While we would really rather buy, we will probably end up renting until we get a better feel for the area. We are both concerned about having bad neighbors and getting stuck in a mortgage. However, to buy a 3 bedroom house in a fairly okay area (fenced yard, quiet neighborhood) goes for the same price as renting a 2 bedroom house with no yard, that looks beat up. We are both worried that we will get in an area and want to move at a later date. We have never purchased a home before so this is a big step for us on top of moving cross country from Florida. I'm a nurse so job opportunities should be available in both Denver and Fort Collins. I also like the Loveland area, but the commute down to Denver seems like a beast from what I have read. Just trying to figure out where I want to submit job applications to.

Thanks for all the input in advance.

[davebarnes]

Get jobs first.
Then decide how close you want to be to work.
Then we will have lots of advice.

There are quiet areas everywhere. Depending upon your definition of quiet. I live in an 1900 streetcar Denver neighborhood in a duplex and would describe it as mostly quiet. My daughter lives in a townhome in Arvada and I would describe her area as deathly quiet.

[0ctobersongs]

Not moving out there without jobs...but need to start gathering information.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by 0ctobersongs

Not moving out there without jobs...but need to start gathering information.

Jobs first.
Then all else.

[bluescreen73]

Unless your hubby's career is as portable as yours, Denver's the no-brainer choice.

[jwiley]

While being a nurse means you can easily get a job throughout much of the country, it is no guarantee in Northern Colorado. I personally know 5 nurses that commute to the Denver metro area for jobs, and a couple of more than have worked on call for 2 or 3 of the hospitals hoping that one day they will be put on full time in the area.

You see there are at least 6 schools with nursing programs within 60 miles of Fort Collins, and those new nurses do not want to leave the area, so the jobs are highly competitive, even for the worst jobs.

[0ctobersongs]

which is why I plan to have a job before moving out there.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by 0ctobersongs

... this is a big step for us on top of moving cross country from Florida.... We live way too close to our neighbors. I'm tempted to buy a piece of land and put a house on it, but the commute would be killer.

I'll continue to suggest caution on any such a big changes (such as FL to CO). Just curious, have you considered the large difference in environment and culture? I know it's easy to run off with thoughts of a new life in a new location and all the adventure and excitement that that generates (been there, done that), but sometimes the differences in location end up overwhelming the seeming advantages. I've found people to think and act in a foreign way compared to coastal locations and states (I'm not saying it's bad, just that I can't seem to fully connect with the western and northern way of thinking of people here). And as far as the outdoors ("we like outdoors"), are you ready to trade the tropical, lush, green outdoor, extended summer life for a dry, no-ocean, long-winter-ish location. I thought that way at first, but now can't wait to get back to the coast. The environment can have a huge effect on what you think and feel is normal. I know the reverse to be true; that natives and long-time residents of CO would likewise feel very out of place in FL.

Besides environment and culture, jobs and cost of living are also huge in importance. The latter are much worse than my impression before relocating. Everything is more expensive than my previous location, and jobs - at least in the Fort Collins area - are hard to come by, pay less, and have less benefits than what I'm used to.

You're note about being close to others and wanting isolation / but avoiding "killer" commute would apply just as much to the Denver area. You may not be solving anything just by moving to a completely different area.

Proceed with caution. Everything might look rosy from afar, but there is so much more to take into account. Sometimes we focus on all the obvious and usual factors, and end up overlooking the most crucial factors (especially when moving between locations of such differing magnitude). You might end up regretting such a move, as my family has unfortunately has.